Two Bellator tournament hopefuls have withdrawn from the
promotion’s upcoming ninth season, as featherweight Shahbulat
Shamhalaev and lightweight Rob
Sinclair have been forced to pull out of their respective
brackets.

Shamhalaev withdrew in order to return to his home country of
Dagestan and visit his ailing father, while Sinclair suffered a
knee injury that will prevent him from competing. Shamhalaev will
be replaced by Strikeforce veteran Justin
Wilcox, who will now square off with Akop
Stepanyan when the featherweight tournament kicks off Sept. 13
at Bellator
99.

Wilcox makes his featherweight debut after competing at lightweight
for most of his career. “The Silverback” fought nine times under
the Strikeforce banner from 2008 to 2012, posting a 5-3 record with
one no-contest. The American Kickboxing Academy talent exited the
promotion last summer on the heels of back-to-back defeats, falling
via first-round knockout to Caros Fodor
before dropping a split decision to Jorge
Masvidal.

Tirloni, 30, has lost three of his last four fights, coming up
short in three lightweight tournaments thus far. The Brazilian, who
won 14 of his first 15 bouts prior to his recent stretch, most
recently competed this past January, when he was outpointed by
Will
Brooks in the Season 8 tournament quarterfinals.